The Supreme Court struck down a request Tuesday from the Trump administration to allow deployment of the National Guard to Chicago, in a significant check to President Donald Trump’s anti-immigration agenda.
In early October, Trump sent 300 members of the Illinois National Guard, as well as some Texas National Guard members, to Chicago, citing concerns over a lack of law enforcement and obstruction of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. The Daily Illini found that the activation included several University students.
The deployment drew criticism from leaders like Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who claimed the move was unlawful. Illinois and Chicago sued the federal government, and a Chicago federal judge temporarily blocked the deployment soon after.
Trump asked the Supreme Court to remove the block and allow him to continue the activation in Chicago. In Tuesday’s 6-3 decision, the Court let the previous decision stand. Conservative Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch made up the three dissenting votes.
In their unsigned order, the Court wrote that “the Government has failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois.”
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The high court’s rejection is likely to challenge future attempts Trump makes at deploying the National Guard in other cities. Aside from Chicago, Trump has sent the National Guard to Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Portland and Memphis during his second term, and has threatened to activate troops in other major cities.
In an interview with CNN, White House Spokesperson Abigail Jackson maintained that the rejection did not alter the Trump administration’s plans.
“He activated the National Guard to protect federal law enforcement officers, and to ensure rioters did not destroy federal buildings and property,” Jackson said. “Nothing in today’s ruling detracts from that core agenda.”
